Wahclella Falls in the Winter

Project Description

Also known as Tanner Creek Falls

This is one of my favorite short hikes in the Columbia Gorge. My daughter and I wanted to go on a hike and had chosen a different location for the day. When we got into the Gorge it was so windy that the original location would not have been hikable – it had exposed areas with winds over 80 mph. Instead we went up a ravine to Wahclella Falls – and hid from the wind (mostly). This is a beautiful hike any time of year. It is only 1 mile in to the main waterfall and has 2 bridges, and 2 waterfalls. Parts of the year there are 3 waterfalls – the third one does not have much water and dries up in the summer. This hike also has a cave (cliff overhang) that is very interesting for kids.

During the spring and early summer there are several wildflowers that can be found near Tanner Creek. The huge boulders are moss covered all year and add great beauty to the area. The wooden bridge near Wahclella Falls also has great character.

Wahclella Falls is a 2 tier waterfall – with the bottom tier being the most viewed. The top tier is facing west and not very visible. In lower water times of the year it is not really noticeable. To get the view of the top tier in these images I had to climb onto large rocks on the side of the trail.